Applicator supports



Oct. 18, 1960 w. M. KIRK 2,956,543

APPLICATOR SUPPORTS Original Filed Dec. 5, 1957 APPLICATOR SUPPORTS William M. Kirk, Amarillo, Tex.; Viola E. Scott, executrix of the estate of said William M. Kirk, deceased, assignor to Old Scratch, Inc., Amarillo, Tex., a corporation of Texas Original application Dec. 3, 1957, Ser. No. 700,434, now Patent No. 2,883,965, dated Apr. 28, 1959. Divided and this application Feb. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 793,753

Claims. (Cl. 119-157) This invention relates to improvements in applicator supports. More particularly this invention relates to supports for applicators of the type disclosed in Patent No. 2,581,028, issued to me January 1, 1952, and my copending application Serial No. 700,434, led December 3, 1957, now Patent No. 2,883,965, of which this application is a division, and in which a liquid such as an oil, insecticide or medicant is supplied to an elongated applicator against which animals may rub, thereby impregnating or coating the skin, hide, hair, bristles or fur of the animal with the liquid medium being fed to the applicator.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved applicator support for animal scratching, medicating and oiling apparatus, wherein the applicator is aflxed directly to the fiuid feeding means of the apparatus, and the fiuid is positively fed from the fluid feeding means, through the support, and onto the applicator.

A further object is the provision of a clamp for supporting a fibrous applicator, such as rope, wherein guide means is provided extending between the segments of the clamp, so that the fibrous applicator will not become caught between the segments as the same are tightened about the applicator.

A further object is the provision of an upper support for the applicator wherein the positive Huid feed from the fiuid feeding means to the applicator forms a guide intermediate the segments of the clamp to prevent the applicator from becoming caught therebetween.

A further object is the provision of an -improved guiding means for the connectors of the applicator support, so that the connectors may be fed through a fibrous applicator without severing the fibers thereof.

A further object is the provision of improved ground attaching means for the applicator, whereby one end thereof may be secured adjacent the ground, so that it will not become displaced therefrom by animals rubbing against the applicator, and yet may be easily removed when desired.

A further object is the provision of an applicator support for an applicator having a plurality of rigid abrasiveresistant members carried along a suitable flexible member, such as a plurality of washers supported upon a flexible cable, wherein spring means is provided adjacent the lowermost portion of the cable, for urging the rigid abrasive-resistant members upwardly along the supporting Ifiexible member, into contact with the liquid conveying means, thereby providing for a more efcient distribution of the uid dispensed from the conveying means.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of animal scratching, medicating and oiling apparatus having a fibrous applicator, and showing one form of improved applicator Support.

2,956,543 Patented Oct. 18, 1960 Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the upper applicator support of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View showing the insertion of the connectors to the upper applicator support of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the lower applicator support of Fig. 1, with parts thereof broken away to show the preferred construction.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of the animal scratching, medicating and oiling apparatus, showing the upper applicator support for another form of applicator, with parts thereof broken away in order to disclose the preferred construction.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of the bottom applicator support for the applicator shown in Fig. 7, parts thereof being broken away to show the prefered construction.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown preferred and modified forms of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A designates the animal scratching, medicating and oiling apparatus; B one type of applicator that may be mounted upon the apparatus A; C the upper support for the applicator B; D the lower support for the applicator B; E another type of applicator that may be mounted upon the apparatus A; F the upper support for the applicator E; and G the lower support for the applicator E The animal scratching, medicating and oiling apparatus A may be of the type disclosed in my aforesaid application Serial No. 700,434, comprising a liquid reservoir or container 10, defining an innermost chamber 12 and having a base plate 14, a drain plug 15 at the lowermost portion thereof, a removable cover 16, an opening 17 in the uppermost portion thereof for insertion of the liquid feeding means 18, and which may lbe supported aga-inst the side of a barn or other building as by the straps 20.

The liquid feeding means 1S may comprise a supporting plate 22 defining a passageway for conveying the liquid from the tank 10 to the applicator, a lever 23 pivotally supported upon the supporting plate 22, which lever is operatively attached to and actuates a liquid conveying means for conveying liquid from within the tank and depositing it upon the supporting plate 22, and a pin 25 for attachment of the lever means 23 to the uppermost applicator support, a short gutter or trough 27 being secured beneath the supporting plate 22 and extending within the applicator support for providing a more efficient transfer for the liquid medium from the liquid feeding means to the applicator support.

The applicator B comprises an elongated flexible fibrous member 30, that may be of rope, that extends in a catenated position between the upper support C and the lower support D.

The upper applicator support C preferably comprises a ferrule having two side pieces or segments 35 and 36. Secured to the side piece 35, as by a weld 38, is a guide plate 40 that extends interiorly of the side piece 35 for substantially the entire length thereof, and is adapted to overlap a portion of the interior of the side piece 36, so that when the two pieces 35 and 36 are secured together, as shown in Fig. 4, the guide plate 40 will ride along the interior of the side piece 36, preventing any fibers of the member '30 from falling between the two segments 35 and 36, with the resultant pinching or tearing of the member 30. Secured to the segment 36, opposite the guide plate 40 is a closed conduit or pipe 42. This pipe 42 is secured to the interior of the side piece 36, as by a weld 44, one side of the pipe 42 extending over the side edge of the;

3 adjacent side of the segment 36. This pipe 42 is adapted to overlap a portion of the interior of the segment 35, and servesa dual purpose, on the one hand as a means for conveying the liquid medium through the applicator support B and on the other hand as a means for preventing the pinching or tearing of the member 30 between the two segments 35 and 36, in much the same manner as the guide plate 40.

One end of the side piece 36 is secured to a backing plate 48, as by a weld 49. The fermle segment 35 is not secured to the backing plate 48 and is free to move with respect to the guide plate 40 and ferrule segment 36, into a position as shown in Fig. 3 for receiving one end of the member 30. The segments 35 and 36 may be held .together as by nut and bolt units 51 and 52.

The closed conduit or pipe 4Z defines a passageway 53 therethrough and an opening 55 is provided lat the uppermost portion ofthe backing plate 48 through which the pipe V42 extends. A substantially U-shaped bracket member 58 is secured to the opposite side of the backing plate 48 from the segment 36, as by welds 59, and is positioned immediately below the opening 55 and extends outwardly from the backing plate 48 for a short distance, defining a passageway for the flow of the liquid medium from the trough or gutter 27 into the closed conduit or pipe 42. In this form the liquid medium is continuously and positively guided from the apparatus, through the applicator support C, and is deposited upon the applicator B beyond the applicator support. It is obvious that if the liquid medium is deposited upon the applicator at a point where the applicator is tightly compressed, such as between the segments 35 and 36, that the applicator would have very little tendency to absorb the liquid and the same would quickly drip off of the pplicator, where as in the form that I have shown, the liquid medium is deposited upon the applicator at a point where the applicator is not under compression and is free to absorb and communicate the liquid medium between the various fibers.

In the clamping of the uppermost end of the applicator between the segments 35 and 36, -as shown in Fig. 3, the bolts 51 and 52 are fed through the fibrous member 30 by means of a needle-shaped cone 60 which may be slipped over the blunt threaded end of the bolt. It it obvious that as the needle-shaped cone 6i) is pushed through the fibrous member 30 that the bers will be pushed aside, instead of becoming torn, and the bolts 51 and 52 may be easily fed therethrough without weakening the member 30 by tearing of the fibers. After the bolts 51 and 52 are passed through the member 30, and extend beyond the outermost surface of the segment 35, 1a nut may be attached thereto and the two segments 35 and 36 drawn together by tightening ofthe nut, thereby clamping the member 30 between the two segments. It will be seen from Fig. 3 that when the member 30 is originally placed between the two segments 35 and 36 it is of a substantially larger diameter than the diameter of the two halves of the two segments 35 and 36, and that when the two segments 35 and 36 are drawn together the diameter of the member 30 will be substantially reduced and the member 30 securely clamped therebetween, the end of the pipe 42-being slightly embedded in the member 30, as shown in Fig. 2, assuring the saturation `of the member 30 and preventing the liquid medium from draining off the side of the member 38.

The lower applicator support D preferably comprises a ferrule having two side pieces or segments 65 and 66. Secured interiorly of the segment 65 are the guide plates 68 and 69 which extend for ysubstantially the entire length of the segment 65 and are adapted to overlap a portion of the interior of the segment 66, so that when the two side pieces 65 and 66 are secured together the plates 68 and 69 will ride along the interior surface of the segment 66, preventing the member 30 from falling hetween the segments 65 and 66, with resultant pinching 4 or tearing of the member 30. The plates 68 and 69 may be secured to the segment 65 as by the welds 70 and 71, respectively.

The two segments 65 and 66 lmay be secured together by means of the nut and bolt units 74 and 75, bolts thereof being passed through the member 30 by means of the needle-shaped cone 60, in the same manner as was described with respect to the upper applicator support C.

A ring or bracket 78 is welded or otherwise secured to the uppermost portion of one end of the segment 66, to which may be attached a short length of chain 80 that is secured t-o an anchor plug 81 adapted to intert and be wedged within a holder or anchor pipe 83 that is angular- 1y set in the ground and secured therein as by concrete 84. The plug 81, as shown in Fig. 5, is tapered so that it may be wedged within the pipe 83, however, it may be any form of rod or bar having a slightly less diameter than the internal diameter of the pipe 83, both the plug 81 and the pipe 83 being of a suicient length so that the plug 81 will not be lifted from within the pipe 83 by animals rubbing against the underside of the member 34).

It will be seen from Fig. l that the lower applicator support D is located at a distance from the apparatus A, with the member 30 catenated therebetween, forming au elongated portion against which an animal may rub. It is of course possible to tautly stretch the member 30 between the apparatus A and the lowerapplicator D, however, I have found that optimum results are obtained when the member 30 is slightly catanated.

Referring now to the modified forms of applicator and applicator supports, shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the apparatus A to which this applicator is attached is identical to that shown in Fig. 1 and similar reference characters have been applied thereto.

The modified applicator means E preferably comprises an elongated cable member 85 having disposed therealong a plurality of discs or washers 86 and having at its upper end thereof an applicator support F, for securing the applicator E to the apparatus A, and a lower applicator support G secured to the other end of the applicator E. These discs or washers 86 provide an abrasive resistant surface against which the animals may rub, and the cable 85 is flexible so that there is a degree of resiliency to the applicator.

The upper applicator support F preferably comprises a bracket 90 having two side pieces 91 and 92 and a bottom plate 93. A nut and bolt unit is secured to the bottom plate 93, about which one end of the cable 85 is looped and clamped tightly to the bracket 90 by a plate 96. The side pieces 91 and 92 preferably converge toward the cable 85, providing ya tapering passageway or funnel which directs the flow of the liquid medium from the bottom plate 93 to the cable 85. The bracket 90 is secured to the lever means 23 as by the rod 25, the same as was disclosed with respect to the form shown in Fig. l, with the bottomY plate 93 extending beneath the gutter or trough 27 and receiving the liquid medium therefrom.

In the ow of the liquid medium Afrom the supporting plate 22 to the applicator E, the liquid will flow from the supporting plate 22 onto the gutter or trough 27 and thence Vonto the bottom plate 93, through the passageway or funnel defined by the side pieces 91 and 92, and onto the cable 85. A quantity of the liquid medium that is received by the cable 85 will flow in between the various discs or washers 86 to the outermost surface thereof, providing a thin liquid film upon the entire exterior surface of the applicator, against which the animals rub.

The lower applicator support G preferably comprises two parts, a disc or washer support means 10 and ground attaching means 101.

The disc or washer support means preferably comprises a spring 183 having secured at each end thereof discs or washers 104 and 105, and a clamping lbracket 107 mounted adjacent the washer 105 and clamped about nur the cable 85. The spring 103 is provided so that the disc or washers 86 will be resiliently held together and so that they may expand or contract according to temperature changes and may also be pushed apart slightly by an animal rubbing thereagainst, which permits Iflexing of the cable 85. If this resilient means were not provided the washers would not be held in intimate contact. If gravity alone is depended upon to bring about normal engagement of the washers, the liquid medium is likely to tlow too freely through the spaces `between the Washers, or if the washers or discs 86 were securely held together, the animals could not part them by rubbing against the applicator and thus would not receive an adequate amount of the liquid medium on their hides. The clamping bracket 107 may be moved along the cable 85 depending upon the number of discs or washers used and also dependent upon the degree of compression of the spring 103.

The ground attaching means 101 is attached to the cable 85 by looping the lowermost end of the cable 85 about a protective bracket or sheath 110, folding the cable 85 back upon itself, and securing the end portion of the cable 85 to the main portion thereof as by the U-shaped clamping ybracket I112. rI'he end of the cable 85 may be covered as at 1-13 to prevent the unravelling thereof. A short link of chain 115 is then secured to the loop of the cable 35, abutting against the sheath 110, which protects the cable 85 from the rubbing of the link or chain 115. The other end of the chain 115 is secured to an anchor plug 117 which may be inserted within a ground support or anchor pipe 118 that is in turn secured within the ground as by the cementitious material 119. The plug 117 is shown in the drawings as being in the form of a wedge driven into the pipe 118, however, it is to be understood that any form of support, such as a pipe having a slightly less diameter than the pipe 118 may be slipped within the pipe 118, forming the ground support. It is only necessary to make certain that animals rubbing against the applicator will not disengage the applicator from the yground support.

Various changes may be made to the form of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In animal scratching, medicating and oiling apparatus, the combination of an elongated iibrous applicator, a rst clamping means secured to one end of said applicator, a second clamping means secured to the other end of said applicator, a liquid reservoir including liquid conveying and feeding means, and a ground support; said first clamping means being secured to said liquid reservoir and receiving liquid from said liquid reservoir, and said second clamping means being secured to said ground support; said iirst clamping means including a ferrule having a plurality of separable segmental sections disposed about the outer periphery of said brous applicator, means for securing said segmental sections in clamping engagement about the outer periphery of said fibrous applicator, a ow gutter operably connected to the liquid conveying means of said liquid reservoir, a substantially U-shaped fluid conducting bracket secured to said ow gutter, a

backing plate having an opening through the upper portion thereof, said bracket being secured to said backing plate adjacent the top thereof and positioned for conducting -uid into the opening through said backing plate, and a liquid conduit mounted within and extending longitudinally through said ferrule, said liquid conduit having one end adjacent said backing plate for receiving liquid from the opening therethrough and the other end disposed for discharging liquid onto said brous applicator.

2. The combination as speciiied in claim 1 wherein a guide plate is secured at one side edge of each of said segmental sections, each of said guide plates overlapping a portion of another of said segmental sections intermediate the outer periphery of said fibrous applicator and the inner periphery of said another of said segmental sections, for engaging the `fibers of said brous applicator and preventing them from being clamped between the side edges of said segmental sections.

3. The combination as specified in claim 2 wherein said liquid conduit is secured adjacent the side edge of one of said segmental sections, said liquid conduit overlapping a portion of another of said segmental sections intermediate the outer periphery of said fibrous applicator and the inner periphery of said another segmental section, said liquid conduit forming a guide plate for engaging the iibers of said iibrous applicator and preventing them being clamped between the side edges of a pair of said segmental sections.

4. The combination as specied in claim 1 wherein said means for securing said arcuate side pieces in clamping engagement about the outer periphery of said fibrous applicator includes bolt means extending therethrough, and means for guiding said bolt through said -brous applicator, said last mentioned means comprising a needle shaped cone removably mounted upon one end of said bolt means for guiding the same through the brous applicator.

5. The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said ground support comprises a tubular member iixedly mounted in a spaced apart relationship with respect to said liquid reservoir and provided with a passageway therethrough, said tubular member extending downwardly from said vfibrous applicator with the longitudinal axis of the passageway of said tubular member at an angle substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said fibrous applicator, the passageway of said tubular member having its uppermost end opening angularly away from said liquid reservoir, and a tapered plug removably wedged within the uppermost end opening of the passage- Way of said tubular member, the opposite end of said iibrous applicator from said liquid reservoir being secured to said tapered plug.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,765,775 Kramer Oct. 9, 1956 2,766,726 Duif Oct. 16, 1956 2,800,108 Duif July 23, 1957 2,835,225 Cline May 20, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 229,114 Great Britain Feb. 19, 1925 

